Sparrmannia L.f.
Shrubs or small trees, densely hairy, the hairs often stellate. Bark tough and stringy. Lvs cordate, serrate or dentate to deeply palmately lobed. Stipules filiform, persistent. Fls in terminal or lf-opposed umbel-like cymes in upper axils, bracteate, ⚥. Sepals 4, with simple or stellate hairs. Petals 4, white, crumpled in bud. Stamens numerous, < petals; outer stamens sensitive to touch, lacking anthers, with undulate to moniliform filaments; inner stamens with anthers, the filaments sometimes moniliform and sensitive to touch. Ovary incompletely 4-(5)-locular; ovules numerous in each loculus; stigma toothed or simple. Fr. capsular, ± globose, 4-(5)-valved, loculicidal, with abundant, rigid, hairy bristles.
7 spp., tropical and southern Africa, Madagascar. Naturalised sp. 1.
